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Texas steps up campaign against Planned Parenthood and women’s health

May 21, 2017NewsComments Off on Texas steps up campaign against Planned Parenthood and women’s health16 Views

The state of Texas is on a mission to field Planned Parenthood out, and is hoping the present Presidential administration will assist and abet its plan, even when it leads to the additional decline of health providers to Texas women.

In 2013, Texas gave up its Medicaid funding from the federal authorities — to the tune of $35 million a yr — all in order that it might minimize out clinics affiliated with Planned Parenthood, since a few of these clinics present abortion providers.

That transfer misplaced the state a big quantity of federal funding and resulted in much less look after women in want. Prior to the change, 126,000 women have been enrolled for providers every month; now, 79,000 women are enrolled every month.

Now the state needs to get that cash again. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has drafted a proposal asking for that Medicaid funding to renew, however with out the inclusion of Planned Parenthood.

This would go against federal regulation, which requires states to provide Medicaid beneficiaries their selection of any prepared supplier. Texas legislators hope the Trump Administration will change that.

A listening to on the proposal was held May 15 in Austin by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The state plans to file an software with the federal authorities on the finish of June.

The state created a alternative program referred to as Healthy Texas Women, however in the course of the listening to, women and advocacy teams stated it hasn’t crammed the hole created when Planned Parenthood was eliminated.

Planned Parenthood is a goal amongst pro-lifers, conservatives, and the Trump administration, since about half of its associates present abortion providers, regardless that federal funds can’t be used for elective abortions.

But their stance against the group has different repercussions, together with extra infants being born in poverty.

Studies by the New England Journal of Medicine and UT-Austin have proven that the elimination of Planned Parenthood in Texas resulted extra births to low-income women. In 2015, greater than half of the 400,000 births statewide have been paid for by way of Medicaid, which means the the mom was unable to imagine the medical prices herself. And 35 % of the pregnancies have been unintended.

If the state’s proposal is permitted, it might additionally set a precedent that different states comply with, additional proscribing women’s choices and decisions.

Raegan McDonald-Mosely, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, urged the Trump administration to close down this newest assault on women, stating, “if the rest of the nation goes the way of Texas, it would result in a public health crisis for millions of women.”

It’s attainable the state could also be profitable on this effort since President Donald Trump has made proscribing abortions a precedence and has appointed an anti-abortion official to supervise federal household planning packages.

While different pink states have made comparable efforts to restrict Planned Parenthood, none have been as daring as Texas in its outright makes an attempt at exclusion.

If accepted, Texas would set a brand new low, additional limiting a lady’s capacity to have a selection relating to her personal physique and is assured to be a tragic day for women’s health.